Vehicle towing devices are commonly used for towing disabled vehicles and for towing dinghy vehicles such as cars and small trucks behind recreational vehicles such that a dinghy vehicle is available to the owner when their destination is reached. In that front wheel drive vehicles have the speedometer and odometer operatively connected to the transmission, and in that it is unlawful to disconnect the odometer from the transmission, the miles logged while the vehicle is towed are shown on the odometer. Although the miles accumulated do not involve any load and wear on the power train, since the engine, transmission and other driveline components are not under load, warranty coverage may be denied due to the accumulated total mileage.
Various types of vehicle towing trailers are known. U.S. Pat. No. 3,559,827 which issued Feb. 2, 1971 to Schier shows a device having a tow bar frame assembly and castor wheels spaced outside the front wheels of the vehicle towed. An electric motor powers a hoist for raising and lowering the vehicle to be towed onto the trailer.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,541,582 which issued Feb. 13, 1951 to Hawkins shows another embodiment of a tow trailer having ground-engaging wheels located outside the front wheels of the vehicle being towed. Wheel-supporting cradles on the trailer receive and slightly elevate the wheels of the towed vehicle above the roadway. The supporting cradles are spaced to correspond to the spacing of the front wheels of the vehicle being towed.
Both of these patents relate to trailers which are fairly large and cumbersome and which are not easily stored.